LEXINGTON, Ky. — Arkansas dug itself too big of a hole against the No. 2 team in the nation as Kentucky defeated the Razorbacks 86-63 Tuesday at Rupp Arena in a men’s basketball game.
Arkansas falls to 13-5 on the season and 2-2 in the SEC, while Kentucky is 18-1 overall and 4-0 in the SEC.
The Razorbacks fell behind 37-21 by halftime as they shot 31 percent in the first half.
In the second half, Kentucky outscored Arkansas by seven points as the Razorbacks shot 50 percent from the field, including five three-pointers.
The Wildcats turned the ball over 12 times, giving Arkansas only 10 points off turnovers, and Kentucky outrebounded the Razorbacks 38-26 in the game.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Kentucky got nine points early from Anthony Davis as the Wildcats jumped out to a 15-4 lead seven minutes into the game.
Kentucky’s lead increased to 20 points at 33-13 before Arkansas freshman B.J. Young scored six straight points for Arkansas.
In the second half, Davis scored 11 points in a 6-minute span to help Kentucky open up a 70-42 lead on Arkansas with 10 minutes left in the game.
Over half of the Razorbacks’ scoring came of the bench, with 32 points coming from the backups.
Arkansas was led in scored by Mardracus Wade, who scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Marvell Waithe, Rashad Madden and Young each scored 10 points off the bench for the Razorbacks. Guards Rickey Scott and Julysses Nobles led the Razorbacks with five rebounds each.
Arkansas shot 40 percent for the game on 23-of-57 attempts and was 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) from the free-throw line.
Davis led Kentucky with 27 points on 10-of-12 shooting and added 14 rebounds and seven blocks. Terrence Jones added 13 points, nine rebounds and five blocks. Doron Lamb scored 14 points for the Wildcats, Darius Miller had 11 points and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 10 points. Marquis Teague dished out nine assists and scored seven points.
Kentucky shot 57 percent from the field on 32-of-56 shooting and were 19-of-25 from the free-throw line.
The Razorbacks play Saturday in a non-conference game against No. 19 Michigan, which beat No. 9 Michigan State Tuesday, at 1 p.m. at home at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.